AFRICAN FOOD

This post is sponsored by Sympli Natural Nigeria in association with the Venus Processing and Packaging Company Limited. All opinions are my own. #sympliyamcubes #symplindole

Ndolé screams COMFORT and who wouldn’t want some comforting and soothing food these winter months? You know you want some admit it! (smiles). It is made with bitterleaves (lots of it), boiled peanuts and flavored with garlic, white and black pepper. Delicious is an understatement.

It’s the month of February fam and it’s also heart-healthy month. So this month, I’ll be sharing all my favorite recipes that contribute to a healthy and strong heart. We begin with my signature Ndolé. The heart will go nuts for Ndolé as peanuts make up half of this dish.

Heart-healthy benefits of Ndolé

Peanuts are rich in monounsaturated fats, the type of fat that is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. Studies of diets with a special emphasis on peanuts have shown that this little legume is a big ally for a healthy heart.

In addition to their monounsaturated fat content, peanuts feature an array of other nutrients that, in numerous studies, have been shown to promote heart health. Peanuts are good sources of vitamin E, niacin, folate, protein, and manganese. Frequent nut consumption is related to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

How to cook Ndolé

I love the fact that Ndolé can be cooked in a breeze. Once your bitterleaf is washed and your peanuts cooked, your Ndolé is practically ready. This recipe is the easiest recipe and the tastiest you would find on the internet. To cook Ndolé, boiled and blend peanuts into a coarse consistency. If you are using meat, boil meat and dried fish along with one onion, 8 garlic cloves and a teaspoon of white pepper and black pepper each. Add salt and seasoning to taste. I used stockfish for this recipe. Next, wash fresh bitterleaf with Nkangwa or if you are using dried bitterleaf, boil to soften it and squeeze all the water out.

Once meat is almost cooked, add blended peanuts, crayfish and some more salt. Cooked for 10 minutes and then add bitterleaf. While this is cooking, heat half a cup of oil in a skillet, add one thinly sliced onion and sautée for 2 minutes, then add 200 grams fresh prawns. Sautée for 2 more minutes and then pour it over boiling Ndolé. Let it simmer on medium heat for another 10 minutes. Your Ndolé is ready. Enjoy it with Sympli boiled yam cubes. You will enjoy it!

If you try this recipe, please feed me with your feedback in the comments area below. Please TWIT me a picture of your creation or tag me on Instagramor Facebook. I would love to see. Still hungry? Try my fiery hot egg stew or this Morrocan Tajine.

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Ndolé (bitterleaf and peanut stew)

Prep Time

20mins

Cook Time

40mins

Total Time

1hrs

Ndolé is the un-official Cameroonian national food made with bitterleaf, peanuts and crayfish and flavored with garlic, and white pepper.

Course:
Main Course

Cuisine:
African

Servings: 8

Author: Zita Bernice Tiena

Ingredients

3 cupspeanutsboiled

3 cups bitterleafwashed

500gbeefcooked

250gstockfishcooked till soft

200gFresh prawns

8garlic cloves

2large onions

2Tbsp.Crayfish

1tspwhite pepper

1cupoil

1/2tspblack pepper

salt and seasoning to taste

Instructions

Wash fresh bitterleaf with Nkangwa or if you are using dried bitterleaf, boil to soften it and squeeze all the water out.

If you are using meat, boil meat and dried fish along with one onion, 8 garlic cloves and a teaspoon of white pepper and black pepper each. Add salt and seasoning to taste.

Remove ingredients from the pot of meat and blend along with boiled peanuts into a coarse consistency.

Once meat is almost cooked, add blended peanuts, crayfish, black pepper and some more salt. Cooked for 10 minutes and then add bitterleaf.

While this is cooking, heat half a cup of oil in a skillet, add one thinly sliced onion and sautée for 2 minutes, then add 200 grams fresh prawns. Sautée for 2 more minutes and then pour it over boiling Ndolé.

Let it simmer on medium heat for another 10 minutes. Your Ndolé is ready. Enjoy it with Sympli boiled yam cubes. You will enjoy it!

Recipe Notes

Substitute bitterleaf with spinach or kale. Just make sure either is soft enough. Use the same quantity of vegetables.

You know that feeling when you long for something extra spicy, delicious, different, that can be cooked with 5 ingredients or less in little or no time? If you ever have that feeling, this fiery hot egg sauce will definitely rock your boat.

Since my car accident last week, I have been bed-ridden. But if you know me, you know that I love me some good food all the time. It doesn’t matter if I am not feeling well. I will eat delicious food nonetheless. So take note, if I ever tell you that I have lost my appetite, no that something is SERIOUSLY wrong. Ha!

But then again, I am that kind of person who will drag myself to the kitchen to cook great food for myself and my family no matter what. That’s how I went to the kitchen in search of what to cook. Not that I didn’t have food already cooked in the freezer, I just wanted something freshly cooked, fast and fiery hot.

How to cook fiery hot egg sauce

This egg sauce is one of the easiest and most delicious ‘fast’ foods I have made ever. It is ready in less than 30 minutes including prep time. Awesome right? I know! All you need is eggs, tin tomatoes, onions, butter and my newly created hot sauce ‘chop faya‘. Oh boy, so good. Pair this with boiled rice, fried plantains or cheesy plantain bites. You can order if you live in Europe, the UK or the US

This post is sponsored by Sympli Natural Nigeria in association with the Venus Processing and Packaging Company Limited. All opinions are my own. #symplinaturalnigeria #symplisuyaspicedyamfries

If you are planning a grilling event, there’s one meal combo that I highly recommend. This Sympli suya-spiced yam fries and guacamole (avocado) dip. It’s an easy make-ahead spicy, crispy and definitely a delicious avant-gout for when you have to wait a while for your grills and roast to cook.

How to make crispy oven-grilled yam fries

These fries are so easy to make ahead, it’s simply ridiculous. All you have to do is coat Sympli’s freshly frozen yam fries with homemade or store-bought suya spice and breadcrumbs. Then oven-grill until crispy and golden brown. I mixed homemade suya spice with some water and oil to ease infusion of spices into the yam and coated with breadcrumbs so that any moisture is quickly absorbed and yam fries can be grilled crispy.

Making guacamole for yam fries

A simple but great-tasting Guacamole is made from mashed ripe avocado mixed with fresh tomatoes, onions, black pepper, and herbs of choice. I like to deseed my tomatoes to avoid too much moisture. Then add lemon juice for that extra zing, chopped parsley to balance out the taste, and a pinch of salt and pepper to round everything up. For an extra creamy guac dip, I recommend adding some oil, preferably avocado oil which is very mild in taste.

Now let’s make some yam fries & guacamole dip

Here are some SUPA tips to enable you to make your best suya-spiced yam fries and guac dip yet.

Tip #1: Tone down your onions. Onions can be overpowering, so I recommend soaking them in warm water for about 5 minutes. This will de-flame the onions but keep the crisp.

Tip #2: Use plum or Roma tomatoes that are not too moist or deseed your tomatoes to avoid too moist dip.

Tip #5: Coat yam fries from frozen. No need to thaw. That’s one of the great things about Sympli food.

If you try this recipe, I would sincerely love your feedback in the comments area below. You can also twit, Facebook orInstagram me a picture because as always, I love to see your own creation.

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Sympli Suya-spiced Yam Fries & Guacamole Dip

Prep Time

10mins

Cook Time

20mins

Total Time

30mins

Easy, delicious and crispy grilled suya-spiced yam fries and guacamole dip that you can enjoy as an avant-gout during your next grilling event.

Course:
Appetizer

Cuisine:
African

Servings: 8

Author: Zita Bernice Tiena

Ingredients

For Suya-spiced yam fries

1 packetSympli yam fries

3 tbspsuya spicehomemade or store-bought

1tbspoil

2tbspwater

For the guacamole dip

3ripe avocados

1/2ripe Roma tomatodeseeded

1/2purple onionfinely chopped

1tbspparsleyfinely chopped

1/2 tspblack pepperground

1/4 tspsalt

2tbspoilpreferably avocado oil

1/2lemon extract juice

Breadcrumbs for coating

Instructions

Mix suya spice

Mix homemade suya spice with water and oil into a smooth semi-watery paste and set aside

Coat yam fries

Do not thaw your Sympli yam fries. Simply coat from frozen.

Take one yam fry and coat with suya spice. Then coat with bread crumbs and place on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Do the same with the rest of the yam fries.

Bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes or until yam fries are golden brown and crispy.

Make dip

Slice avocado into two halves. Remove the seed and scope out the avocado flesh into a bowl.

Using a fork or a potato mash, mash your avocados. I like to live some avocado chunks but that's just me. Mash to a smooth purée if you like it that way.

Add deseeded tomatoes, chopped onions, parsley, oil, salt and pepper and mix well. Now squeeze the juice of half a lemon on top. Lemon juice will add extra zing and will slow down the darkening process of your guacamole. A big plus!

Dip your yam fries into guacamole when chilled and enjoy as an appetizer.

This post is sponsored by Sympli Natural Nigeria in association with the Venus Processing and Packaging Company Limited. All opinions are my own. #symplinaturalnigeria #sympliripeplantain #plantainpuffpuff

All hail the plantain queen! That’s the new title I’ve been given since I posted my plantain and egg aka. the dodoyi recipe on my Facebook and Instagram pages. A recipe that went viral with over 1,7 million views in two months. Watch the viral video here. That’s why I’m super excited to share this mouth-watering recipe with you my lovelies: it’s my signature Sympli Sugar-free plantain puff puff.

This plantain puff puff is your regular puff puff with a twist. They are epic. If I can say so myself. Made using Sympli freshly frozen ripe plantain, there is no need for added sugar. They are extra sweet on their own. *Drooling*.

I love plantains!

Those who know me, know that my love for plantain starts from here to eternity. I could eat plantain for the whole of Africa. Whether it is plantain bread, or my epic plantain cake, or these wickedly delicious plantain muffin cups, ripe plantains are just my favorite food to eat. They are not only sweet to the taste but pack a serious nutritional punch too.

Health benefit

One benefit that really stands out is its vitamin A content which helps to boost our immune system, support health and prevent various cancers and skin diseases. That’s why I’m so excited to create or discover new ways to enjoy the yummiest food in the whole wide world. That’s in my opinion of course! 🙂

My sister-friend and blogger Kewan Mildred originally developed this plantain puff puff recipe. For the original recipe, please visit kewanblogs.com. I wanted to add my signature to it, so I included vanilla extract and instead of buying, peeling and slicing plantain, I used the Sympli freshly frozen ripe plantains. They’ve done all the work so you can get in and out of the kitchen in a twinkle of an eye. Convenient huh?!

Oh! Haven’t you heard? Sympli Natural Nigeria makes life in the kitchen a breeze with their freshly frozen products. Awesome goodness, authentic African food, delicious like home. My go-to African tubers at the moment. I give all the details about the various products and their benefits in this post.

How to make Sympli Sugar-free plantain puff puff

It’s as easy as making your regular puff puff. First, you want to make sure you thaw your Sympli ripe plantains. Then blend it with a bit of water, add a pinch of salt and vanilla extract. I love the flavor vanilla extract adds to this recipe. It’s oh-so-good. Vanilla in my food reminds me of cake. Say goodbye to cake cravings my lovelies! If you do not have access to vanilla extract, you can either replace it with cinnamon or leave it out completely. Your plantain puff puff will still taste great.

The next step is to activate your yeast by add lukewarm water to it. Let it sit for three to five minutes. This step is crucial if you want your plantain puff puff to rise. You can also use wet yeast. 42g for every 500g of flour. Alternatively, baking powder would do the trick too. You will need 3 teaspoons for this recipe.

While your yeast is in activation mode, go ahead and pour in your flour in another bowl. Make a well in the middle and add in your puréed plantain mixture. Mix it into a smooth consistency while adding your yeast bit by bit. Cover the mixture with a clean kitchen cloth and allow it to rise. This should take 20 to 30 minutes if you followed the recommendations above.

Now you are ready to deep fry that dough. Heat about 2 liters of vegetable oil in a large deep skillet or pot. Scoop some dough into your palms and press out round balls using your thumb and pointer finger. Watch me fry the perfectly rounded plantain puff puff below.

Fry your plantain puff puff till golden brown stirring gentle as you fry. Are you to authentic African enjoyment? Then make some hot pepper sauce to go with it. Oh my yum! The enjoyment will last forevermore. If you try this recipe, please tag, twit, Facebook or Instagram me a picture because as always, I love to see your own creation.

This post is sponsored by Sympli Natural Nigeria in association with the Venus Processing and Packaging Company Limited. All opinions are my own. #symplinaturalnigeria

Who doesn’t love food fresh from the farm, prepared in a healthy way in less than no time? I know I do! With a family to cater to, a choir, an NGO and a church to run, spending too much time in the kitchen is a no-no for me.

If you haven’t heard about the Sympli Natural Nigeria foods yet, I hope you’ll be as excited as I was. The Sympli foods are harvested at their peak when they are bursting with flavor and nutrition, then conveniently peeled, chopped and freshly frozen to lock in freshness and quality. Win!

These products come in 500g packages and sell for 2.35€ a pack. They are already washed, peeled and chopped so all you have to do is enjoy. How amazing is that? Plus, no more wastage in peels and no more fear of purchasing spoiled plantain or yam. Double win!

Yes, to plantains and yams that have been peeled and are ready to cook from frozen and you won’t even tell the difference between the fresh and the frozen when cooked, fried or pounded. These products are life-saving guys.

When fresh plantains or yams are not in season, I love that I can still enjoy my favorite foods like pounded yam, amala, or just good old plantain chips with the range Sympli Natural Nigeria offers without preservatives or anything artificial while enjoying the numerous nutrients plantains and yams provide our bodies. These products are definitely a keeper in my opinion.

The benefits of Sympli Natural Nigeria foods

As a result of their complex carbohydrates and relatively high fiber content, the Sympli yam and plantain products are a great addition to a healthy wholesome diet providing the body with 32g of carbs and 2,3g of fiber per 100g and 24g of carbs and 4,1g of fiber per 100g of plantain and yams respectively. They are also a great source of energy, especially for the active African.

They come in four varieties – unripe plantain, ripe plantain, yam fries and yam cubes. The taste is just like what you’d expect from fresh plantains and yam. The ripe plantain slices are my favorite, for obvious reason. 🙂

I’m not going to lie – I love my food fresh from the farm to the table but these Sympli products are just as good without the extra work; peeling and chopping. Hey, why not have it the Sympli way, fresh, no prepping necessary, easy-to-cook and packed healthy goodness to nourish your body?

Do you want to try the Sympli Natural Nigeria freshly frozen products, too? Visit their website, Facebook and Instagram pages grab a pack! You’ll be glad you did.

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Hi guys!

I'm Zee, your certified health & weight loss coach. I love Jesus and delicious healthy food. My blog is all about holistic health: the health of the body, soul, and spirit. So I'll be sharing my food, faith, fitness and fashion life with you and cheering you on your journey to a healthier, happier YOU as well.
Welcome to my world!

Zita Bernice Tiena.

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